Global Family Doctor

WONCA is an unusual, yet convenient acronym comprising the first five initials of the World Organization of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Associations of General Practitioners/Family Physicians.

Professor Barbara Starfield championed the value and need of strong primary health care systems worldwide. This collection emphasizes the case for primary care and includes a number of Barbara Starfield's own articles as well as other key related material.

Policy Bites

Professor Amanda Howe, our new President, said in 2013 that she would “help with policy messages. In WONCA ... we know what we want to say. I’d work on how we say it – getting
accurate clear briefing documents out, so you can adapt them for use in
your place”. Prof Howe wrote policy bites monthly from June 2013 to October 2016.From January 2017, we begin "external invites" to gather policy ideas from around the world.

I was invited to a policy summit in Washington last month. Hosted by the Robert Graham Centre, and attended by many family medicine leads from the U.S.A., its declared purpose was to look at how changes in the payment structures for health care in the U.S.A. may, or may not, incentivise the ‘triple aim’ of first contact, coordinated, continuous, comprehensive primary care.

Prof Amanda Howe, WONCA President-elect​, writes: I had my appraisal this week – an annual review of my work with a trained peer, and with a standardised submission of evidence that covers all areas of my work.

It is a great privilege to have the chance to go to another setting and learn from new colleagues. Those of us who work in medical schools need to consider how best to make this work for those who host our students and residents, as well as making sure they have a great experience.

All governments have to decide how to meet the needs of their peoples, and most political elections are based on different beliefs as to how this can best be done. Fundamental issues about how to finance investment for health care and other public sectors require clear thinking and recurrent review of decisions made.